Improvement in railroad crossings



n.A 1. HUGHES.

Railrdad Crossings. s N0. 139,716. PatentedJuneJO. |873." y

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ROBERT J. HUGHES, OF RYNEAB, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD CROSSINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,716, dated June 10, 1873; application led April 5, 1873.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. HUGHES, of Rynear, in the county ot' Fountain and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Switch, ot' which the following isa specifica tion:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a plan View of my raised crossing; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the saine; and Fig. an`end-view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

My invention is an improvement in the class of switches or railroad crossings in which the rails'of the side track are elevated to allow the wheels of the cars to pass above the rails ofthe main track. The improvement consists in the construction and arrangement of a spring-rail, hanged plate, and notched crossties, with the rails proper of the respective tracks, as hereinafter described.`

In the drawing, A represents the rails of the maintrack; B, those ofthe side track. O

are the cross-ties, which are placed higher than usual to reach the level otl the crossing-rails, and are placed nearer together at the switch. They are suitably notched torthe reception of the main rails A, to keep them on the level of the main track. The crossing-rails B are placed on the eleva-tion of the ties, and are thereby raised above the level of the main rails. Between the rails of the main track is laidthe pivoted or spring-rail B2, the end b of which is curved frointhe main rail, and, by a guide-pin, a, projecting from support d,

entering a perforation ot' spring-rail B2, is prevented from being lil'ted oli' the track. The lian ges of the wheels pass between the main rail A and spring-rail B2 by pressing the latter sidewise. The ilange-plate l), of triangular shape and made of wrought-iron, is placed on a level with the top of the main rail A adjacent to end b ofthe springrail and serves the purpose ot' conveying the ilanges of the ear-wheels from the `spring-rail B2 to the raised side rails,B. The guide-rail E, placed opposite the fiange-plate D, on a level with the crossing-rails B, assists the wheels to pass over the Harige-plate D and to the side track. The traiic on the main 'track is, by the herein-described arrangement,not hindered in the least, and the switching is accomplished in asimple and substantial manner.

Having thus described m y invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. rlhe raised crossing-rails B, allowing the car-wheels to pass above main rails, in connection with the spring-rails BZ, dangeplate D, and guiderail E, substantially as described.

2. The spring-rail B2, having perforations, in connection with the pin a, and support d, as set forth.

3. The cross-ties '0, formed with notches for keeping the main rails on the level of the track, as set forth.

. ROBERT JJHUGHES.

Witnesses: y

GEO. REDDEN, J oNA'rHAN HUGHES. 

